The 10th World Hearing Voices Congress took place between 12th and 15th September at The Hague (Netherlands) and has the theme Human Rights.
Living with Voices: a human right!
Hearing voices is a common human experience. A lot of people who hear voices have found a way to live with their voices. Other people have a lot of problems with the voices they hear.
Voice hearers have a long history of stigmatisation, pathologisation, exclusion and violations of their human rights.
The worldwide Hearing Voices Movement aims to help voicehearers find a way to live with their voices and to emancipate the hearing of voices.
The organisers, Stichting Weerklank, invited everyone to come together at the 10th World Hearing Voices Congress to learn with and from each other about hearing voices, recovery, emancipation and human rights!
The following information is from the organisers, Stichting Weerklank.
Venue
Church of our Saviour
Bezuidenhoutseweg 157
2594 AG Den Haag
Programme
- 12 September: Intervoice day
- 13 and 14 September: World congress
- 15 September: Public day
INTERVOICE DAY (12 September)
Lisa Forestell and Olga Runciman, members of the Intervoice Board, led this day.
The idea behind Intervoice Day is to exchange experiences, ideas, developments, dialogues and feelings. To feel that you are a member of a big family or tribe – our tribe! Countries can present their new developments and stimulate others to create new roads.
Fees
Free for current members of Intervoice, the charity*.
Entrance for non-members € 50,00
Sightseeing: From 15:00h, people who were interested took a tour through historic The Hague and pay a visit to Madurodam, a miniature version of our Low Country.
WORLD CONGRESS (13 and 14 September)
Each day had the same format.
We started with three brief presentations from voice hearers about their personal stories. Then two consecutive keynote speakers approached the human rights perspective.
In the afternoon there was a symposium in the main hall and workshops in the surrounding rooms. We closed each day plenary in the main hall.
On Friday 14 September – World Hearing Voices Day – we organised a BBQ and a party at the famous peer with a direct view at the sea!
Fees
Professionals and waged: € 275,00 (inclusive party €305,00)
Low waged: € 190,00 (inclusive party €220,00)
Voice hearers: € 125,00 (inclusive party €155,00)
PUBLIC DAY (15 September)
This day was mainly in Dutch, translated into English, and the goal was to raise awareness about hearing voices and human rights for a general audience.
Free entrance for the World Congress participants. For other interested is was €25,00.
Entrance fees included lunch!